1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a fuel cell system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell system can derive electric energy with high efficiency by way of reaction of hydrogen-containing gas produced by reforming power generation material and oxygen in the air acting as oxidant. Since a catalyst used for reforming the power generation material decreases in activity when poisoned with sulfur, sulfur compounds in the power generation material need to be removed before reformation. Sulfur compounds can be removed by hydro-desulfurization in which hydrogen is mixed with the power generation material, for example.
A fuel cell system typically feeds a part of hydrogen-containing gas resulting from reformation of the power generation material back to the power generation material channel as the source of hydrogen to be mixed with the power generation material. For this purpose, a pressure feeder such as a blower may be provided in a recycle channel, or an orifice or the like may be provided upstream of the junction of the power generation material channel and the recycle channel for adjusting pressure balance such that the pressure of hydrogen-containing gas becomes higher than the pressure in the junction.
A fuel cell system can encounter the problem of condensed water being fed to a power generation material feeder that feeds power generation material as a result of condensation of water vapor in hydrogen-containing gas from the recycle channel, or the problem of a gas channel being blocked by condensed water.
As a solution to these problems, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-222573 proposes a method in which an ejector is provided between the power generation material feeder and the hydro-desulfurizer in a fuel cell system so that hydrogen-containing gas is suctioned into the ejector. This can prevent condensed water in the hydrogen-containing gas flowing in the recycle channel from entering the power generation material feeder.